A former bodyguard of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie is to appear in the Channel 4 series SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham will join the line-up of ex-Special Forces soldiers who will take the new batch of 25 contestants in to the Ecuadorian jungle.
Billingham, who reached the rank of Sergeant Major, was a member of the Special Air Service (SAS) for 27 years where he was an instructor in the jungle phase of the selection process.
He was awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Bravery and was appointed a Member of the British Empire.
Other high-ranking celebrity clients he has provided private security for include actors Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe and director Clint Eastwood.
Returning to lead the pack is Anthony Middleton, who will be joined again by Jason ‘Foxy’ Fox and Matthew ‘Ollie’ Ollerton, as well as newcomer Billingham.
They will push the physical and psychological boundaries of the new recruits as they subject them to various tests, all of which are based on the real selection process used by the SAS.
The selection process begins in Wales and the show then moves to a second jungle stage.
Chief Instructor Middleton said of the jungle stage: “Now you need to prove that you can deal with the harshest environment in the world, that you can operate in it. This phase is all psychological.
“It’s designed to bring out certain characteristics and certain attributes that you don’t know exist within yourself but you will find out once you’re on selection.
“You’re not designed to conquer the jungle, all you can predict is that you’ve got two feet and you can put one foot in front of the other.”
No air date has yet been confirmed.
